CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT | FALICE

TWO | I'D LIKE TO THANK MR. DICKSON

Monday, September 28th

10:01

"Everyone stand up."

Confusion flashed on all students' faces on Monday morning at their science teacher's request but obeyed, going to stand at the front of the classroom in messy queue.

"Back in September, each of you strategically picked your seats according to where your friends sat but, this morning, I decided to stir the pot and get you out of your comfort zone by pairing you with new lab partners from other cliques. While it's fun to sit with your best friends, that's not how life works. In the real world, you'll be forced to work with people who are very different from you and you won't have a say in it."

Groans of depreciation along with whispers of complanings filled the classroom. Mr. Dickson tapped his wooden ruler on the desk to get everyone's attention - and silence - and started assigning the new seats with a threat of detention if he heard another complain.

"Miss Samuels, you'll be paired with Miss Blossom."

Sierra wrinkled her nose and walked to the seat Mr. Dickson had pointed and sat down. Beside her, Penelope grinned excitedly, flashing her braces. Sierra rolled her eyes, wishing Tom was in her Science class. Maybe if he were, she wouldn't have been stuck with nerdy Penelope.

"Next is Mr. Lodge and Miss Gomez." Hermione quietly took a seat next to Hiram without protesting and Mr. Dickson continued his placements. "Mr. Andrews, you'll be paired with Miss Maiden."

FP snickered, elbowing Fred who narrowed his eyes at him. Mary Maiden was one of those annoying stickler. Always following defined procedures, the redhead never did anything that might contradict any laws and was very strict about following the rules in any situations whether it's for an assignment or a simple school policy. She really was no fun.

"Enough laughing, Mr. Jones. Go sit with Miss Smith."

The teenager was shook for a second. What? Miss Smith as in Alice Smith? This was FP's lucky day.

A smirk on his lips, FP crossed the distance to his new seat and sat on the seat next to the blonde.

"We've met before, haven't we?" Alice asked, raising an eyebrow.

FP nodded. "Detention."

"Right. You're the one who punched his teammate before Friday's game, uh?"

The raven haired Bulldog raised an eyebrow, surprised she was interested in gossips. "You heard about that? I thought it was hush hush."

Alice scoffed. "Nothing stays hush hush at Riverdale High. Not with girls like Hermione and Sierra. They have big fucking mouths."

Touché.

Mr. Dickson finished assigning places and then, he dove into astronomy for the rest of the hour which wasn't FP's forte. He knew about Mars, Jupiter and all its siblings but the rest was lost in the black hole inside his brain.

The bell rang and everyone gathered their things to leave.

"What time shall I show up to your house?" Alice asked, lingering at their lab table.

FP furrowed his eyebrows, confused. "My house? What for?"

"The assignment," she reminded him.

"Oh! Sorry, I- Would six be fine? I have football practice after school."

Alice searched inside her backpack and opened her notebook, the same one she had during detention, and handed it to FP with a black marker pen. "Write your address down, Jones."